Michael.......I'm not following this........any photo's to help a dummy figure this out??
None of my straps have dots.......the only thing I have with dots is my backpacks.

Cheers

Hi mate,

Basically, you know the 4 x smaller webbing straps that are a component of the Alloy Hook Strap kit, which has been included with all US-10/20/30s since March 2012? It's the bit that attaches to your subframe etc to act as mounting points for the alloy hook hooks on the bag. In this photo it's the lower piece of the two:

Well... originally, these were all black because it looks good / blends in on all bikes, matches the packs and hides dirt. However, after a while the lads back in the UK heard reports of one or two folks accidentally attaching the alloy hooks to the [also black] web loops on the base of the US-20 and US-30, after mistaking them for the ones attached to the bike... Just as our mate Stormtrooper246 did there. The end result being that the bag was strapped to itself instead of the bike. Which is... ummm... shall we say, 'less than ideal'.

The loops on the base of the bag are actually intended for securing the hooks when the bag is removed from the bike, to stop them flailing about when carried (see photo below). They also serve as an anchor point for building 'combos' i.e. when a second pack stacked on top of the one attached to the bike, or a pack is attached on either side of the 'base bag'.

"OK", thought Dom and Mike, "We'll just make the subframe loops a different colour from now on. Problem solved!"

So, for a round a year after mid-2012, all US packs were supplied with reflective silver subframe loops., which were easy to distinguish from the black ones on the base of the packs. The only problem was that quite a few thought the reflective silver looked more beige. And beige is not a popular colour for motorcycles.

Therefore, from most recent production run (March of this year) onwards, the subframe loops supplied are now black with white dots to indicate that they are the ones the Alloy Hooks should be attached to.

Which colour ones you have on your bike, depends on when your pack was purchased.

Hope that clears things up for you, but let me know if it doesn't and I'll snap some photos when I'm back in the office.

The loops on the base of the bag are actually intended for securing the hooks when the bag is removed from the bike, to stop them flailing about when carried (see photo below). They also serve as an anchor point for a second pack stacked on top of the one sttached to the bike.

Michael

Holy crap! I never realized that. I have used them to secure a US30 and a US20 together, as it offers more stability to anchor them lower when one is strapped on top. Thought that was all they were for.
But now that makes complete sense. Learn something new every day.

Holy crap! I never realized that. I have used them to secure a US30 and a US20 together, as it offers more stability to anchor them lower when one is strapped on top. Thought that was all they were for.
But now that makes complete sense. Learn something new every day.

Yeah - it's an easy feature to miss. But I think the updated instructions that are now included with all packs make it a little harder to miss, by showing a photo of the hooks secured in the loops for carrying.

Went out for another three day ride with the Overlander 30 bags and my R15 pack on the KTM 500.

As a lot of posters may have read on this thread I can be critical of gear, however the R15 with the harness system dons so easily on and off it's a Godsend. We as motorcycle riders often have large protective armor and my shoulder protection on the Alpinestars chest protector sticks up waaay too much, this makes getting a hydration bladder or backpack on a complete nightmare. The R15 gets on and off so easy it's like cheating. Very well designed as a support structure for lightweight loads. One thing I would like to see added to the pack are two zipper pulls instead of one. This will make accessing the interior of the pack much easier. Now the one zipper to be closed is on the bottom of the pack necessitating undoing two Fastex buckles to clear a path for the zipper to be undone. Inefficient. All high end packs I own: Osprey, Dana, etc have two sipper pulls to ease pack access and Kriega pack access would benefit with this addition on it's next design upgrade

This trip instead of packing my traditional tarp and hammock i went with a bivy sack and down quilt to save a little space since packing space in the Overlander 30 bags is a little tight compared to the GL Coyote. This worked out well (though I would prefer the ability to pack the hammock) and was able to pack clothes, camp shoes, bivy sack and quilt in the bag on the left since its bulkier; and packed tools, spares, small first aid, water filter, and food in the exhaust side bag since it packs narrower. Ideally I would like to see some additional liter capacity added to the overlander 30 bags that if not used could be compressed with the compression straps yet is there if you need it. Something like seven or eight extra liters each side would be nice for my use.

All in all the bags worked well.

Michael I know you're busy but when you have a chance could you contact me on Skype as per our previous PM's. Thank you.

__________________
Cheers,
Team FTB
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Team "Fingering The Bean"

That took a while. I just finished reading through the whole thread. I wonder how much of it I actually retained :)

I am liking the Overland 30. Really like the idea of waterproof and they have a great look to them.

Riding a 2011 FS570

I hear you, mate! Sometimes I wonder how / why I fit it all in my head!

Glad you dig the Overlander 30 (and I'm sure the photos TeamFTB just happened to post won't do anything to persuade you otherwise! ). The 570 could've been made for that system, what with the oversized side panels and all.

Let me know if any of the stuff you just read (respect for endurting the whole thread! ) doesn't stick and you'd like me to dredge the old memory banks for more detail at any point.